What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed rwy 20R at the Jean, NV airport (017) and upon reaching 300-400 feet, the pilot stated that his airspeed went from 85 KTS to 60 KTS. The pilot then stated that he nosed the aircraft over to accelerate, however was still losing altitude. Noticing that the terrain ahead was unfavorable for a forced landing, the pilot elected to deviate to the right wherein he would have more suitable desert to land upon. Unable to regain a climb, the pilot was in fact forced to land in the desert. During the forced landing, the nose wheel was torn off the aircraft, the left main gear appeared to be bent, the prop was destroyed, sudden stoppage on the engine and the firewall bent/damaged. All six skydivers and the pilot exited the aircraft without incident or injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RWY 20R AT THE JEAN, NV AIRPORT (017) AND UPON REACHING 300-400 FEET, THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS AIRSPEED WENT FROM 85 KTS TO 60 KTS. THE PILOT THEN STATED THAT HE NOSED THE AIRCRAFT OVER TO ACCELERATE, HOWEVER WAS STILL LOSING ALTITUDE. NOTICING THAT THE TERRAIN AHEAD WAS UNFAVORABLE FOR A FORCED LANDING, THE PILOT ELECTED TO DEVIATE TO THE RIGHT WHEREIN HE WOULD HAVE MORE SUITABLE DESERT TO LAND UPON. UNABLE TO REGAIN A CLIMB, THE PILOT WAS IN FACT FORCED TO LAND IN THE DESERT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE NOSE WHEEL WAS TORN OFF THE AIRCRAFT, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR APPEARED TO BE BENT, THE PROP WAS DESTROYED, SUDDEN STOPPAGE ON THE ENGINE AND THE FIREWALL BENT/DAMAGED. ALL SIX SKYDIVERS AND THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT OR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.